English 420-Business Writing

 

Course Information                                      Instructor Information

English 420 M/W/F                                         Nancy Quinn

                                                                       Office Hrs:  M/W/F 10:30-11:20

                                                                       Office: Heavilon 310 D                                 

Ph: 765.494.3726

Fax: 765.494.3780
           
E-mail: nquinn@purdue.edu

 

Projects                                                          Class Mailing Lists                           

Employment Project                                      engl420lec0101sp08@lists.purdue.edu         
Analyzing Online Writing Contexts                 engl420lec0501sp08@lists.purdue.edu

Complaint Letter                                           engl420lec0701sp08@lists.purdue.edu

Community Writing Project                           engl420lec1501sp08@lists.purdue.edu         

                                               

Instructor’s Home Page       

http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~nquinn/420/index.html 

Note: All class meetings, both face-to-face (F2F) and electronic, will be held during our regular class time. You are responsible for attending all meetings; missing or arriving late to meetings can negatively affect your course grade. Please consult the course syllabus for additional information about attendance policies.  

Make certain that you have your login and password for accessing PUCC machines and an e-mail address that accommodates attachments. If you have questions about your accounts visit the ITap Customer Service Center in STEW 068.  You also can visit the ITaP Instructional Computing Division web page <http://www.itap.purdue.edu/tlt/help/> for information about campus technologies.

Week 1:  Jan.  7, 9, and 11  

Readings from text:  Chapter 14-“Building and Writing Resumes”

Mon., Jan 7:  Introduction to the Course:  Review syllabus & course calendar.

Wed., Jan 9:  “Getting to Know You Activity” & Introduce the Student Information Sheet.

Fri, Jan 11:  Introduction of Employment Project.

Purchase textbook from University Book Store, Folletts, or Borders or on-line at:  http://www.prenhall.com/catalog/academic/product?ISBN=0131870777

Week 2:  Jan.  14, 16, & 18   

Readings from the text:  Chapter 14 continued

Mon., Jan 14: Complete the Job Skills Checklist (circle all that apply to you) in class.

Review the Job Search Resources at the Professional Writing website.

Begin research to find two job ads in your area of interest. Internships are good possibilities. Discuss employment project research & search engines.  See page 509 of text.

Discuss Job Ad Analysis.

Wed., Jan 16:  Hand in a hard copy of the completed Student Information Sheet.   You do not need to change it to a PDF file. 

Bring two job ads in your area to share.

Fri., Jan 18:  Complete the Job Ad Analysis form for one of your ads w/ job ad attached (Hard Copy).

Do you have questions about employment documents?

Kairos and the Cover Letter by Dr. David Blakesley.  (read samples in class; these are not models (!) but show what happens when people try weird rhetorical approaches).

To prepare for discussion of resumes, complete the OWL tutorials: Resume Workshop

 Resource: Purdue Center for Career Opportunities Look at the samples for cover letters and resumes.

Week 3:  Monday, Jan. 21, (no class-Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday) Jan 23, & Jan 25 

Readings from the text:  Chapter 15-“Applying and Interviewing for Employment”

Mon., Jan. 21:  No Class

Wed. Jan 23:  Drafts of resumes are due for peer review in class. Each reviewer should address the questions on the Peer Response for Resumes by downloading the Word document, responding, then printing or e-mailing the checklist back to two writers. Revise resumes by using feedback from peer review.

Additional Resources for Employment Project at the Professional Writing website. http://www.digitalparlor.org/pwenglish/jobsearch

 

Fri., Jan 25:  Interview Questions:  Bring 10 questions to class and interview a classmate.  Five of the questions must be scenario-based.    What would you do in this situation?

Week 4:  Jan. 28, 30, and Feb. 1

Mon., Jan 28:  Drafts of cover letters due for peer review. Each reviewer should complete Peer Response for Cover Letters Revise cover letters by using feedback from peer review.

 

Wed., Jan 30:  Introduce Project 2: Analyzing Online Contexts 

Handouts located on Blackboard:  Project #2

• Analyzing Online Contexts

• Memo Formatting Guidelines

• Audience Analysis Worksheet

• Peer Review Sheet

 

Fri, Feb. 1: Final drafts of all steps of the Employment Project documents are due in printed form at the beginning of class. Remember, I do not accept late projects.

 

Week 5:  Feb 4, 6 and 8 

 

Readings from text:  Chapter1- p.26-27; Chapter 6-p.186-187, Chapter 7-208-209; Chapter 9-p. 293& 299; Chapter 1-p 352-353 & 357.

 

Memo Exercises:  In-class activities-all week.

Week 6:  Feb.  11, 13, and 15  

Readings from the text:  Chapter 2-“Communicating in Teams and Mastering Listening & Nonverbal Communication”

Mon., Feb 11:  Peer Review of memo only.  Bring 2 copies of the memo.   The peer review sheet is located on Blackboard.

Wed., Feb. 13:  Introduce Community Writing Project. 

Fri., Feb 15:  Final draft of Project 2 due at the beginning of class.  Remember, I do not accept late projects.

Team Do's and Don'ts

First meeting

Week 7:  Feb.  18, 20, and 22

Readings from text:  Chapter 11-“Writing Reports and Proposals”

Mon., Feb 18:  Introduce Proposals and give the list of choices available.  Look at sample proposals in class.

Wed., Feb. 20:  Introduce Step #2 Memo

Fri., Feb. 22:  Peer Review for Proposal.  Bring 2 copies of proposal.   The peer review sheet is located on Blackboard.

Week 8:  Feb. 25, 27, and 29: 

Readings from text:  Chapter 13:  “Planning, Writing, & Completing Oral Presentations”

Mon., Feb. 25:  Ethical Guidelines for Interviewing a Client (from PW Website)

http://www.digitalparlor.org/pwenglish/interviewing

Wed., Feb 27:  Proposals Due at the beginning of class.  Remember, I do not accept late projects.

Oral Presentations by Nancy Quinn, a PowerPoint on Blackboard (Project #4)

OWL Power Point

Week 9:  March 3, 5, and 7  

Readings from text: Chapter 8-“ Writing Negative Messages”

Mon., March 3: 

Additional Resources for CWP

Presentation Resources from Professional Writing

 

Wed., March 5: Introduce Complaint Letter-Project 3

 

Week 10:  March 10, 12, and 14 

 

Spring Break:  No classes

 

Week 11:  March 17, 19, and 21 

Readings from text:  Chapter 11- “Practicing Ethical Communication” p. 403-404 only

Mon., March 17 Ethics:  Listed on Blackboard

Break into small groups for discussion.

Wed, March 19:  Peer Review of Complaint Letter, if you feel that you need a peer review for this project:  Bring 2 copies of the letter.  The peer review sheet is located on Blackboard.

Fri., March 21:  Workday & Complaint Letter is due at the beginning of class. Remember, I do not accept late projects.

Week 12:  March 24, 26, and 28

Readings from the text:  Chapter 10-“Planning Reports”

Mon., March 24:  Hand in hard copies of recent communication: e-mail to client, e-mail from client, & product so far.  You will also hand in an informal progress report describing what you have done so far and what you still need to complete.  I will touch base with all groups.

Fri., March 28:  Workday

Week 13:  March 31, April 2, and April 4

Readings from text:  Chapter 12-“Completing Reports and Proposals”

Fri., April 4:  Workday

Week 14:  April 7, 9, and 11

Friday, April 11: Workday

Week 15:  April 14, 16,and 18

Mon., April 14:  Peer Review of Written Report.  Everyone must bring one copy to trade.

Wed., April 16: CD-RW of brochure, updated websites, or other products,  & Thank You memos are all due at the beginning of class.  You will also need to turn in materials borrowed from your client. 

Wed., April 16:  Complete Hard copy of Collaborative Form (Located on Blackboard) in class.  Must be typed.

Fri., April 18:  Written Reports are due.  Late projects will not be accepted.

Week 16:  April 21, 23, and 25 

Mon., April 21:  PowerPoint Presentations begin.

Wed., April 23:  PowerPoint Presentations continue.

Fri., April 25:  PowerPoint Presentations continue, if necessary.  Last Day of Class

 

Week 17:  April 28-May 3

 

Final Exam Week:  No Classes

 

Note:  The instructor retains the prerogative to adjust the course calendar the meet the pace and progression of the class.  Schedule of readings and assignments is subject to change with given notice.